Breviloquium

After some things have been said about the Trinity of God, the creation of the world, and the corruption of sin, it remains now to say briefly something about the incarnation of the Word, through which incarnate Word the salvation and restoration of the human race was indeed accomplished—not because God could not otherwise have saved or freed the human race, but because no other way was so fitting and appropriate to the Restorer, the one to be restored, and the restoration itself.¹

The reason for understanding the foregoing is this: since the efficient principle of things could neither have been nor fittingly be anything but God; and it is no less to restore created things than to bring them into being², just as to be well is no less than simply to be: it was most fitting that the restorative principle of things be the supreme God, so that, just as God created all things through the uncreated Word, so he might heal all things through the incarnate Word³. Since, therefore, God made all things powerfully, wisely, and supremely well, or benevolently, it was fitting that he restore them in such a way as to show his power, wisdom, and benevolence. But what is more powerful than to join extremely distant extremes in one person? What is wiser and more fitting than that, for the perfection of the whole universe, there should be a conjunction of the first and the last—namely, the Word of God, which is the principle of all things, and human nature, which was the last of all creatures⁴? What is more benevolent than that the Lord, for the servant’s salvation, should take the form of a servant⁵? Indeed, this is such great kindness that nothing more merciful, nothing more benevolent, nothing more friendly can be imagined. This way, therefore, was most fitting for God the Restorer, on account of commending divine power, wisdom, and benevolence.

Again, because man, falling into guilt, had turned himself away and withdrawn from the most powerful, wisest, and most benevolent Principle⁶, he had therefore fallen into weakness, ignorance, and wickedness; and thereby from spiritual he had become carnal, animal, and sensual; and therefore he was unfit to imitate divine virtue, know the light, and love goodness. Therefore, for man to be restored from this state, it was most fitting that the first Principle condescend to him, making itself knowable, lovable, and imitable to him. And because carnal, animal, and sensual man knew, loved, and followed only things proportionate and similar to himself, therefore, to snatch man from this state, the Word was made flesh⁷, so that through man, who was flesh, it could be known, loved, and imitated, and thereby man too, knowing, loving, and imitating God, might be healed from the sickness of sin.

Finally, because man could not be perfectly restored unless he recovered innocence of mind, friendship with God, and his own excellence, by which he was subject to God alone, and this could not be accomplished except through God in the form of a servant, it was therefore fitting that the Word become incarnate. — For he could not recover excellence unless the Restorer were God; because if he were a mere creature, then man would be subject to that mere creature, and thus would not recover the state of excellence⁸. — He could not recover friendship with God except through a fitting mediator, who could place his hand upon both and be conformed to each party and a friend to each; and therefore, just as he is like God through Divinity, so he is like man through humanity. — But he could not recover innocence of mind unless guilt were forgiven; and it was not fitting for divine justice to forgive it except through condign satisfaction; and because none but God could satisfy for the whole human race, nor ought any but the man who had sinned: it was therefore most fitting that the human race be restored through the God-man born⁹ from the race of Adam. — Since, therefore, excellence could not be recovered except through the most excellent Restorer, nor friendship reformed except through the most friendly Mediator, nor innocence regained except through the most sufficient Satisfier; and since the most excellent Restorer is none unless he is God, the most friendly Mediator is none unless he is man, and the most sufficient Satisfier is none unless he is God and man alike, the incarnation of the Word was most fitting for our restoration: just as the human race had come forth into being through the uncreated Word and had fallen into guilt by abandoning the inspired Word, so it might rise from guilt through the incarnate Word¹⁰